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Hickenlooper, McInnis to speak at Denver club

Two candidates for governor will appear before the Denver Petroleum Club later this month to talk about oil and gas issues in the state, but they won’t be doing so at the same time.

Like a similar appearance before the National Western Mining Conference earlier this year, Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican Scott McInnis will participate in a forum on energy issues, but will do so one after the other.

Neither Hickenlooper nor McInnis would agree to appear at the same time, said Joyce Witte, president of the club.

Still, Witte said she hoped the event, to be moderated by Denver’s 9News political reporter Adam Schrager, will reveal important differences between the two candidates on the narrow topic of Colorado energy.

“Whether Democrat or Republican, our members have expressed a keen interest in the direction a new governor may take as it relates to energy,” Witte said. “The interactive format and limiting the topic should give us some real substance.”

Just before the individual forums begin, participants will be asked to participate in a brief survey focusing on the state’s energy issues, and then they would be allowed to pose specific questions to the two during the event, which will be recorded for Schrager’s political program, “Your Show.”

The event, to be held 3-7 p.m. June 22 on the third floor of the Denver Athletic Club in downtown Denver, is open to nonmembers of the Petroleum Club. The cost is $35 for club members, and $55 for nonmembers, and it includes a reception afterwards.

During their February appearance before the mining conference, Hickenlooper and McInnis spent about as much time telling the audience why the other didn’t have the necessary experience to be governor when it comes to energy.

Hickenlooper said McInnis’ 12 years in Congress and work as a lobbyist since then didn’t compare to his experience as an oil and gas geologist and entrepreneur.

McInnis said Democrats such as Hickenlooper were responsible for imposing strict new state regulations on the oil and gas industry, some of which he’s vowed to roll back.